"Russian Slang and Colloquialisms"
is a reference guide to the many informal expressions heard in Russia.
It features 200 alphabetically arranged Russian words and phrases
(each written in Cyrillic & Latin) with English equivalent(s),
explanation, and audio files.
Introduction
About Guide Book content
Entries presentation
Short Forms and Symbols
Audio support (available
only for members)
Demo
Price
How to become a member
Slang and colloquialisms ARE NOT accepted as formal
or literary. Slang belongs to the most informal register
and characteristic of spoken language, often originating in the
cult language of a particular socio-cultural group. It contains
newly coined words or regular words with different nonstandard meanings.
Colloquialisms are accepted in ordinary speech and familiar
conversation, they gained great popularity and are recognized by
the majority of modern Russian population.
Slang and colloquialisms form a big part of Russian
active vocabulary. As a rule, these phrases are emotionally colored
and used to give force to one's speech. Although they are mainly
used in informal oral speech, they are also often found in the press,
frequently heard on popular radio and television programs. Nevertheless,
it can be risky for someone who is not a native speaker to use slang
and colloquialisms. Mainly because most of the expressions do have
a tendency to be vulgar or offensive.
The main purpose of the "Russian Slang and
Colloquialisms" guide book is to introduce more or less acceptable
samples of everyday slang and colloquialisms as a real part of modern
Russian language. The guide book is not aimed at instructing how
to use slang. Though we do not propagate or teach slang, our service
may be considered as an interesting material for enlivening the
process of learning, it can even provide a great stimulus for further
Russian language study.
The guide book now contains 200 alphabetically arranged Russian
words and phrases with English translation/explanation. The
listed expressions are widely used in informal oral speech of the
majority of Russian-speakers. That is why it is so important to
know such words, first of all in order to identify and understand
them in the flow of speech. The present online service gives the
opportunity not only to read some of the most popular informal expressions
and their English equivalents, but also to hear the way they sound
in Russian.
The content of the "Russian Slang and Colloquialisms"
is a free service, except sound. The audio support is available
only for the registered members.
Note: use Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 (or newer)
Each entry (word or phrase or expression) is presented
in five variants: Russian original written in Cyrillic, its transliteration
variant written in Latin letters, English equivalent(s) (if found),
explanation in English (if necessary), and audio
version (premium service).
The words in the guide book are given special signs
to show their word class (or "part of speech"). As a rule,
nouns are given in Nominative case, singular; nouns refer to one
of three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter; adjectives are
given in masculine gender, Nominative case, singular; verbs are
listed in the infinitive forms.
Note: to view Russian texts correctly, please
check russification
of your computer.
f |
feminine gender |
n phr |
phrase based on a noun |
m |
masculine gender |
adj phr |
phrase based on an adjective |
n |
neuter gender |
derog |
derogatory |
pl |
plural |
interj |
interjection |
not decl |
not declined |
drug sl |
drug slang |
adv |
adverb |
comp sl |
computer slang |
adj |
adjective |
a |
vowels under stress |
v phr |
phrase based on a verb |
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Audio support (available only for members) |
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All Russian words and phrases of the guide book
are provided with the sound support in the RealAudio and MP3 formats.
To playback audio files, click one of two special buttons near the
entry you are interested in.
To hear RealAudio files, your system must be equipped
with a RealPlayer. You can download one at no charge below:
To listen .mp3 sound samples you need to install
the Windows Media(tm) Player on your computer. It's FREE
and easy to install. If you do not have the Windows Media Player,
you may get
the Player from Microsoft Download Center.
You might also choose a non-Microsoft program, like the popular
and excellent Winamp, which you may get
here.
Note: for better sound, please set your player's
equalizer like it is shown below:
Try the sample audio files and check whether you
can hear the sound without any distortions. Please contact
us if any difficulty occurs.
To playback the sample files, click
for mp3,
for RealAudio.
Then, input demo in both Login fields for access
Russian word or phrase |
 |
Transliteration |
English equivalent(s) |
Explanation |
êë¸âî
adv |
  |
klyovo |
ñool |
very good, very pleasant, fine |
Äàâàé
îòîðâ¸ìñÿ. v phr |
  |
Davaj otorvemsya. |
Let's live it up. |
|
Ñëåäè
çà áàçàðîì! |
  |
Sledi za bazarom! |
Watch your tongue! |
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If
the Demo is OK and you are ready to subscribe for the Slang,
please proceed to registration. |
If you'd like to hear the "Russian Slang and
Colloquialisms" spoken by a native speaker,
you have to pay for a monthly subscription amounting to US
$9.
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the following steps:
Step 1 - fill out the Registration
Form (enter your personal information);
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online (enter your details on secure server).
If the registration and payment procedures are successfully accomplished,
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to the product in a few minutes. The corresponding notification
will be sent you by e-mail. Thus, please do not misspell your e-mail
address while filling the Registration form.
Before registering we highly recommend you to try
the sample files (input 'demo'
in both Login
fields for access) and check whether you can hear sound files without
any distortions. That is to ensure correct performance of the paid
service on your PC and avoid any troubles in future. Please contact
us if any difficulty occurs.
Your comments and proposals are welcome at comments@learningrussian.com.
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